Sicko - Don't Cry - get angry and do something about it

[trailmix 77]

So I just watched the movie and while it did have its sad moments it should make all American's mad that the government is allowing our fellow human beings to be treated this way. I don't hear of marching in the streets or a call to action to get Universal healthcare - it's time to speak up don't you think?

What is the U.S. citizen in your relationship doing about it?

Edited July 15, 2007 by trailmix

[Clarky and Tarah 0]

I'm the USC in my relationship, and to be honest, I'm not doing anything about it. But you're completely right, we do need to take some kind of action. The price of healthcare has become ridiculous. I'm hoping it will be on the platform of one of our 2008 presidential candidate. Now would be the perfect time to raise some fuss about it. We need to let the candidates know what WE want, and let them draw on that.

I have no idea how to go about that, though.

On a side note, I haven't watched the movie yet.

[Cassie 8]

We're probably going to move back to Canada

Seriously though, it's a good question, and not sure what we can do.

[trailmix 77]

We're probably going to move back to Canada

Seriously though, it's a good question, and not sure what we can do.

Well after doing a bit of reading on the net it appears that a lot of people are outraged (which is very good!).

I guess one place to start is by signing the petition at: http://www.healthcare-now.org/

[misa 2]

Yup, you can vote for the party that you think will help on this issue. Start writing your um... whoever it is here that you write to and make your voices heard to both major political parties.

[KarenCee 3]

We're probably going to move back to Canada

Seriously though, it's a good question, and not sure what we can do.

So are we Cassie. Just as soon as we can.

[Cassie 8]

We're probably going to move back to Canada

Seriously though, it's a good question, and not sure what we can do.

So are we Cassie. Just as soon as we can.

It may not be for a while, but I see us doing it too.

[ischia 0]

So I just watched the movie and while it did have its sad moments it should make all American's mad that the government is allowing our fellow human beings to be treated this way. I don't hear of marching in the streets or a call to action to get Universal healthcare - it's time to speak up don't you think?

What is the U.S. citizen in your relationship doing about it?

Dear Friend;

If you could only imagine how difficult life is for the majority of this world's population living in third world nations I think you would not even comment as such. Lets use Cuba as an example since this was one of the places the documentry speaks of. Did you know that basic human necessities are daily challenges and far too many to mention here...Actually no one could ever understand. Not even Cubans! It's rather ridiculious for a Hollywood director to give examples of a Cuban health care system and not see the conditions of so-called free Health care, unavalibility of basic medicines (tylonel Advil, etc..) lack of Doctors and Surgeons who fled the country or are working as entry level positions in Canadian/European owned companies for pennies on the dollar to feed thier families. I believe the filmaker deleted these scenes from his movie as they are too violent and disturbing for his Western audience. Meanwhile, the US continues ahead with an 45 year old economic embargo that deprives Cubans and Americans alike while Canadians and Europeans take advantage of the loop hole and continue full force to deprive Cuba of its wealth and natural resources and flood tourists to resorts that cubans are not allowed to even enter, while ordinary american families are being deprived to visit their cuban conterparts. Letters never reach your loved ones due to a failed Cuban postal system, there is no Fed-Ex, UPS or any priority or overnight services to Cuba but there is DHL service (Dutch owned) but the catch is that parcels must originate from Europe. E-mails, IM's, Chats are non-existent because Cubans are not allowed internet access. Phone calls (at a rate of $1.89 per minute) are to different numbers as most Cubans (especially from the interior) do not have their own telephone lines at home and have to depend on a neighbor or a public phone to maintain contact with their loved one's. Cell Phones are for foreign tourists or diplomats only and no ordinary Cuban can legally own one, so no text messaging either. How about that! Now, With all that said, even when you are lucky enough to have your US visa approved to visit your family, the Cuban immigration now has to approve the departure by paying a $400 departure tax and a very lengthy wait and let's see process where they can tell you if you can actually leave the country. OH! Let's not forget that you only have 3 months to enter the US once your visa has been issued by the consulate or your visa gets cancelled. How about that! Now, would you want to trade places? Free health care in return? Yea Right!!!! So I beg of you not to get hysterical, offended, enraged as to why Americans should be outraged. You should be outraged why a hollywood filmmaker should make millions worlwide telling a story that most of us already know....US Citizens that don't really care about these issues, as long as they can make descent wages... I am quite certain that no one in Canada or Europe is willing to exchange places either and endure real pain and sufferings like simply just to have our loved ones next to you and live a free life. So a capitalistic medical system with all it's pros and cons is not that bad considering the freedom and comfort that we often take for granted.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

The very fact that Castro brought in a Spanish surgeon to treat his diverticulitis (he didn't trust it to any Cuban surgeon) tells more about Cuba's "healthcare" system than Michael Moore could ever do.

[trailmix 77]

The very fact that Castro brought in a Spanish surgeon to treat his diverticulitis (he didn't trust it to any Cuban surgeon) tells more about Cuba's "healthcare" system than Michael Moore could ever do.

I'm sure Cuba doesn't have a perfect health care system, I think we all understand that and feel for them.

The point it that the U.S. system should be available for all people in America. The Canadian system isn't perfect either.

[Clarky and Tarah 0]

So I just watched the movie and while it did have its sad moments it should make all American's mad that the government is allowing our fellow human beings to be treated this way. I don't hear of marching in the streets or a call to action to get Universal healthcare - it's time to speak up don't you think?

What is the U.S. citizen in your relationship doing about it?

Dear Friend;

If you could only imagine how difficult life is for the majority of this world's population living in third world nations I think you would not even comment as such. Lets use Cuba as an example since this was one of the places the documentry speaks of. Did you know that basic human necessities are daily challenges and far too many to mention here...Actually no one could ever understand. Not even Cubans! It's rather ridiculious for a Hollywood director to give examples of a Cuban health care system and not see the conditions of so-called free Health care, unavalibility of basic medicines (tylonel Advil, etc..) lack of Doctors and Surgeons who fled the country or are working as entry level positions in Canadian/European owned companies for pennies on the dollar to feed thier families. I believe the filmaker deleted these scenes from his movie as they are too violent and disturbing for his Western audience. Meanwhile, the US continues ahead with an 45 year old economic embargo that deprives Cubans and Americans alike while Canadians and Europeans take advantage of the loop hole and continue full force to deprive Cuba of its wealth and natural resources and flood tourists to resorts that cubans are not allowed to even enter, while ordinary american families are being deprived to visit their cuban conterparts. Letters never reach your loved ones due to a failed Cuban postal system, there is no Fed-Ex, UPS or any priority or overnight services to Cuba but there is DHL service (Dutch owned) but the catch is that parcels must originate from Europe. E-mails, IM's, Chats are non-existent because Cubans are not allowed internet access. Phone calls (at a rate of $1.89 per minute) are to different numbers as most Cubans (especially from the interior) do not have their own telephone lines at home and have to depend on a neighbor or a public phone to maintain contact with their loved one's. Cell Phones are for foreign tourists or diplomats only and no ordinary Cuban can legally own one, so no text messaging either. How about that! Now, With all that said, even when you are lucky enough to have your US visa approved to visit your family, the Cuban immigration now has to approve the departure by paying a $400 departure tax and a very lengthy wait and let's see process where they can tell you if you can actually leave the country. OH! Let's not forget that you only have 3 months to enter the US once your visa has been issued by the consulate or your visa gets cancelled. How about that! Now, would you want to trade places? Free health care in return? Yea Right!!!! So I beg of you not to get hysterical, offended, enraged as to why Americans should be outraged. You should be outraged why a hollywood filmmaker should make millions worlwide telling a story that most of us already know....US Citizens that don't really care about these issues, as long as they can make descent wages... I am quite certain that no one in Canada or Europe is willing to exchange places either and endure real pain and sufferings like simply just to have our loved ones next to you and live a free life. So a capitalistic medical system with all it's pros and cons is not that bad considering the freedom and comfort that we often take for granted.

This exact statement is posted in many places, some of which don't even make sense...

[ischia 0]

This exact statement is posted in many places, some of which don't even make sense...

What doesn't make sense? and no this exact post has not been posted elsewhere. You need to read it more carefully!

Edited July 16, 2007 by ischia

[~Nini~ 2]

What doesn't make sense? and no this exact post has not been posted elsewhere. You need to read it more carefully!

The gist of the post was mentioned elsewhere in the K1 forum. You know, I don't know where in this entire thread anyone implied that Cuba was lucky simply based on their "free health care" system. I think it was more of a commentary on what USCs are doing to provoke a change into the current privatized American health care system.

Also, does this need to be moved to off-topic now?

[GaryC 7]

Sicko or Wacko?

Michael Moore’s new film, Sicko, which premiered at Cannes last week, is receiving the expected rave reviews. In one particularly interesting review Time Magazine reporter Richard Corliss rejoices that “the upside of this populist documentary is that there are no policy wonks crunching numbers….”

Yes, we wouldn’t want anyone who knows something about health care reform to point out that:

* Moore frequently refers to the 47 million Americans without health insurance, but fails to point out that most of those are uninsured for only brief periods, or that millions are already eligible for government programs like Medicaid but fail to apply. Moreover, he implies that people without health insurance don’t receive health care. In reality, as Michael Cannon and I have pointed out, most do. Hospitals are legally obligated to provide care regardless of ability to pay, and while physicians do not face the same legal requirements, few are willing to deny treatment because a patient lacks insurance. Treatment for the uninsured may well mean financial hardship, but by and large they do receive care.

* Moore talks a lot about life expectancy, suggesting that people in Canada, Britain, France, and even Cuba live longer than Americans because of their health care systems. But most experts agree that life expectancies are a poor measure of health care, because they are affected by too many exogenous factors like violent crime, poverty, obesity, tobacco and drug use, and other issues unrelated to a country’s health system. Americans in Utah live longer than Americans in New York City, despite having essentially the same health care.

* Moore downplays waiting lists in Canada, suggesting they are no more than inconveniences. He interviews apparently healthy Canadians who claim they have no problem getting care. Yet nearly 800,000 Canadians are not so lucky. No less than the Canadian Supreme Court has said that many Canadians waiting for treatment suffer chronic pain and that “patients die while on the waiting list.”

* Moore shows happy Britons who don’t have to pay for their prescription drugs. But he didn’t talk to any of the 850,000 Britons waiting for admission to National Health Service hospitals. Every year, shortages force the NHS to cancel as many as 50,000 operations. In a Cato Policy Analysis, John Goodman noted that roughly 40 percent of cancer patients never get to see an oncology specialist. Delays in receiving treatment are often so long that nearly 20 percent of colon cancer cases considered treatable when first diagnosed are incurable by the time treatment is finally offered.

* Moore calls the French system “free,” convieniently ignoring the 13.55 percent payroll tax, a 5.25 percent income tax, and additional taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and pharmaceutical company revenues that fund the system. (Despite the high taxes, the system is running an €11.6 billion annual deficit.) The French system is not even free in terms of what patients pay. Its patients pay high copayments and other out-of-pocket expenses, and physicians are able to bill patients for charges over and above what the government reimburses. As a result, 92 percent of French citizens have private health insurance to complement the government system. Yet there remain shortages of modern health care technology and a lack of access to the most advanced care.

I’ve invited Moore to come to Cato and debate the issue. Of course, he is probably too busy to talk with a mere policy wonk…

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2007/05/24/sicko-or-wacko/

[SteveLaura 0]

Wikipedia is my friend today.

The U.S. spends more on health care, both as a proportion of gross domestic product (GDP) and on a per-capita basis, than any other nation in the world. Current estimates put U.S. healthcare spending at approximately 15% of GDP, the world's highest...

The overall performance of the United States health care system was ranked 37th by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000, but the same report assessed Americans' overall health at 72nd among 191 member nations included in the study...

Uninsured Americans are less likely to have regular health care and use preventive services. They are more likely to delay seeking needed care, resulting in more medical crises and emergency hospitalizations, which are more expensive than ongoing treatment for such conditions as diabetes and high blood pressure. Uninsured patients are twice as likely to visit hospital emergency rooms as those with insurance; burdening a system meant for true emergencies with less-urgent care needs...

The most recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that 46.6 million Americans (about 15.9% of the total population) had no health insurance coverage during 2005. This constituted a rise of about 1.3 million from the previous year. Most uninsured Americans are working-class persons between the ages of 2 and 65 whose employers do not provide health insurance, and who earn too much money to qualify for one of the local or state insurance programs for the poor, but do not earn enough to cover the cost of enrollment in a health insurance plan designed for individuals. As health insurance rates rise and the population ages, those seeking to purchase health insurance directly are finding it increasingly difficult to do so, because some insurers are managing their risk by denying directly purchased coverage to individuals who have pre-existing conditions, some of them minor.